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Monday, October 1, 2012

Toxic Bank Dance FrackMob NYC

Video by Owen Crowley and Sandra Koponen

Last Friday,September 28, 2012, over a dozen New Yorkers delivered a message to the big banks funding a dangerous energy project in the heart of Manhattan: "No fracked gas pipeline in the West Village and no fracking in New York." Wearing gas masks and hazmat suits they danced in the lobbies of Chase, Wells Fargo, and Citibank while singing the Britney Spears song "Toxic" with the slightly modified lyrics: "Where's the money from? The big banks. Take the money out of the fracking game..."The practice in question — known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking for short — is a process by which over 500 chemicals -- many of them known carcinogens, undisclosed, or unregulated chemicals--- are pumped deep into the earth to fracture the bedrock and extract methane gas. These chemicals and the fractured bedrock pose a threat to our drinking water. When the gas reaches its final destination, it is burned, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere — further exacerbating global warming. From start to finish, fracked gas is bad news. But politicians seeking big profits are pushing for gas development. New York's Mayor Bloomberg is allowing Spectra Energy to build a gas pipeline in New York's West Village. New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo wants to open the state up to fracking.Last Friday,September 28, 2012, over a dozen New Yorkers delivered a message to the big banks funding a dangerous energy project in the heart of Manhattan: "No fracked gas pipeline in the West Village and no fracking in New York." Wearing gas masks and hazmat suits they danced in the lobbies of Chase, Wells Fargo, and Citibank while singing the Britney Spears song "Toxic" with the slightly modified lyrics: "Where's the money from? The big banks. Take the money out of the fracking game..."The practice in question — known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking for short — is a process by which over 500 chemicals -- many of them known carcinogens, undisclosed, or unregulated chemicals--- are pumped deep into the earth to fracture the bedrock and extract methane gas. These chemicals and the fractured bedrock pose a threat to our drinking water. When the gas reaches its final destination, it is burned, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere — further exacerbating global warming. From start to finish, fracked gas is bad news. But politicians seeking big profits are pushing for gas development. New York's Mayor Bloomberg is allowing Spectra Energy to build a gas pipeline in New York's West Village. New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo wants to open the state up to fracking.Thanks to the thousands of people who stepped up to take action, we've delayed Cuomo from approving fracking in NY. But we're going to need more support if we're going to stop fracking for good.We invite you to fight fracking with us. Get involved in NYC at http://saneenergyproject.org/Not in NYC? Check out United for Action to find a group near you:http://unitedforaction.org/